Making People Talk

Without a doubt, the toughest part of writing is and has always been good characterization.  Even if the setting, the plot, themes, morality, love, the power of friendship, and every fable that Aesop could muster all gathered together in perfect timing and harmonized beautifully, without interesting, believable characters there is no book.

I think anyone who pressed their ear against the door while I was going through scenes would think I'm crazy.  To get the best accents and most organic dialogue that I can, I speak out loud to myself as different characters and type down the first things that I think to say.  For me, whatever I said naturally after getting into character is what that character would have said were they real.  Of course, if it seems asinine or poorly scripted in retrospect, I'll change it.  But, for the most part, it works like a charm.

I seem to have the easiest time writing secondary and background characters and making the "extras" of the world come to life.  I've never had a problem making the hero's friends or the villain's trusted lieutenants interesting or unique.  It's always the main two or three that give the most issue.

For the hero, he can't be perfect because he's only a person, but he has to be likable.  The villain also can't be a complete monster because then there is no empathy from the reader for him, no remorse for his death and no greater thought beyond triumph and "Yay, we beat Sauron."  I don't want that from my works at all.  Ever.  And I never want my readers to feel that.

Characterizing the hero has always been on the back burner for me.  Sure, he's the main character, but I'm often less interested in the good he's doing than the bad.  He must be riddled with flaws and often unwilling to admit it, but I also have to make him distinct from the last hero.  What is he like and what do people like about him?  What stops him from being perfect, how does it affect his relationships, and how does that, in turn, affect the story?  Perfect heroes are boring.

For myself, it's the villain.  It was always the villain.  The plot is made because a hero is needed.  Heroes are generally a reactive force to a proactive villain.  In essence, the bad guy needs to do something evil in order for the good guys to need to exist.  It is for this reason that I've always preferred villains and enjoy creating them the most.  They are what makes a hero relevant at all.

I absolutely hate when a villain wants to just "conquer the world" because he wants to.  There is no lamer reason for seeking power than "just because".  He/she should have a reason for doing so, a screwed up past, or some great moral dilemma that has turned them down the wrong path.  Sometimes, the hero and villain are distinguishable only because the author chose one of them as their point of view.  Those are my favorites.

When I write, I try to make the villain of one book the hero of another.  If you guys want, I will one day write their books as well.  Here's hoping I do well enough for it.  Thanks for reading.

Here's to the future.